Tube socket mounting device



Dec. 10, 1963 c. F. BOOHER 11 3,113,821

TUBE SOCKET MOUNTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 4, 1962 INVENTOR. CHARLES E BOOHERII ATTORNEY 3,ll3,82l

Patented Dec. It), 1963 3,113,821 TUBE SQQ ll MQUNEING DEVECE Charles l Escher ll, San Marino, Caliii, assignor to The Bit-teller (Iorporation, Les Augeles, Califi, a corporation of California Filed Jan. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 164,323 3 Claims. ill. 339-131) This invention relates to a tube socket mounting device and more particularly to a mounting device for gripping the body of an electron tube and receiving the prongs of the tube in a socket mounted therein. The gripping means provide for dissipating heat generated during the operation of the tube into the surrounding atmosphere.

in the electronic industry, as well as others, it has been the conventional practice to employ a tube mounting socket or receptacle carried by a chassis of an instrument which receives the prongs projecting from one end of an electron tube within corresponding openings provided in the socket. Normally, electrical circuitry is selectively connected to the opening so that elements within the tube are included in the circuitry when the tube is properly placed in the socket. As the tube operates in accordance with its function in the electrical circuitry, heat is gener ated by its operation and is excessive, such as after prolonged operation, the operating characteristics of the element in the tube are effected which may have undesirable effects on the operating condition on the entire circuitry.

Difficulties have been encountered when employing tube mounting devices in accordance with the conventional practice, which stem largely from the fact that parts of the device are manufactured mainly from relatively thin and relatively brittle material which, when the sec-urement means thereof, such as bendable tabs extending through apertures, are used, the tabs frequently break off resulting in a rejection of an entire large part which is relatively costly to replace.

This invention, on the other hand, provides for a new and improved securement means in which a relatively inexpensive portion of the mounting device is provided with bendable tabs so that in the event that one of the tabs should break, or otherwise become unuseable, the relatively small and inexpensive part is replaced instead of the larger, relatively expensive portion.

More specifically, the above-mentioned invention difficulties are obviated in accordance with the present invention wherein a tube socket having suitable openings for receiving prongs on one end of the tube is received in an opening provided in the more detailed, and consequently more expensive panel portion of the mounting device and a retaining portion securable to the larger portion includes tab means receivable in appropriate apertures of the panel member which are bendable after extension through such apertures to secure the piece to the panel and retain the tube socket therebetween. By this means, when a tab on the relatively inexpensive mounting memher is broken, as frequently occurs during mass production opera-tion, the mounting member may be easily and readily replaced by another member having its tabs intact.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tube socket mounting device which provides for retaining the socket thereon in predetermined aligned relationship with a tube supporting a heat dissipating means thereon which is easily and readily secured by tab means cooperable with aperture means of the mounting panel thereof and which is easily and readily replaceable by another mounting member in the event that the tab means thereof are inadvertently broken or otherwise damaged.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved tube socket mounting device which is economical to manufacture and is capable of mass production and which greatly decreases manufacturing costs due to breakage of assembly tab means holding portions of the device together.

A general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved tube socket mounting device of the character described which overcomes disadvantages of prior means and methods heretofore intended to accomplish generally similar purposes.

These and other objects of this invention will be more apparent from the following drawings, detailed description, and appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, in elevation, of the tube socket mounting device of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, horizontal cross-sectional view as taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, in elevation, of the tube socket mounting device of this invention, with component parts thereof illustrated in exploded relationship; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing the component parts of FIGURE 3 in assembled relationship.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown by way of illustration, but not of limitation, a tube socket mounting device designed and constructed in accordance with this invention and generally designated by the nu meral ltl. The device it generally comprises a base it having a front panel 12 secured thereto or formed integrally therewith at substantially right angles thereto, a tube clamp means 13 for clamping an electronic tube (not shown) on the base in alignment with an opening '14 formed substantially centrally through the front panel 12, a relatively flat mounting member 16 securable as. by securement means 17 (to be later described) to the front panel 12 in spaced relationship thereto and a tube socket it} retained between the front panel 12 and the mounting member 16 in aligned relationship with a tube clamped in the clamping means '13 so as to be capable of receiving prongs thereof in preselected openings l9 for connecting the prongs to preselected terminals 21 having their ends residing in the openings 15 The front panel 12, having the opening 14, is secured to the base ll at an edge 22 adjacent to the base, by welding, brazing, or the like, or is optionally formed integrally therewith as illustrated in the drawings at substantially a right angle to the base. The panel 12 further includes a pair of flanges 23 extending rearwardly from the panel 12, in opposed relationship, and secured as by welding, soldering, brazing, or the like, indicated by the numeral 2% to upstanding opposed flanges 26 of the base 11 so as to be substantially rigid. An aperture 27 is formed in each flange 23, the apertures 27 extending through the edge of the front panel adjacent to the flanges 23 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The mounting member 16, of relatively flat material, is provided with an opening 29 substantially equal to the opening 14 and located substantially centrally of the member 16-. The member 16 is laterally dimensioned so as to fit between the flanges 23 of the front panel '12 and is provided with a pair of bendable tab members 31 which are extendible through the apertures 27 for securing the mounting member 16 to the front panel 12 so as to retain the tube socket member 18 therebetween.

The tab members 31, apertures 27 and flanges 23 comprise the securement means 17.

The tube socket member 18 is substantially cylindrical in configuration having a circular periphery 32 receivable through the aligned openings 14 and 29. The socket 18 includes a peripheral edge or ridge 33 substantially larger 3 in diametrical dimension than the openings 14 and 29, the ridge 33 being preferably substantially centrally located relative to the circular periphery 32. By virtue of the ridge 33, the socket member 18 is retained between the front panel 12 and the mounting member 16 with the ridge 33 clamped therebetween.

The socket member 18 is preferably keyed in predetermined relationship to the mounting device It This is accomplished by virtue of a longitudinal groove 34 provided in the circular periphery 32 for receiving an inwardly extending key formation 36 extending radially into the opening 29, whereby, when the mounting member 16 is secured to the front panel 1 2 by the tabs 31 which are bent back on themselves over the flanges 23 as best seen in FlGURES l and 2, and the key 36 resides in the groove 34, the socket member 18' is non-rotatably clamped between the front panel 12 and the mounting member 16 so as to retain the socket member in predetermined relationship to the tube clamping device 13.

The tube clamping device 13 preferably is provided, as illustrated herein, with relatively flexible and resilient lingers 37 held in predetermined spaced relationship to the base 11 as by a transverse web 38 secured to the base, by soldering, welding, brazing, or the like, so as to dissipate heat from the tube while supporting the tube on the base 111 in axially aligned relationship to the socket member 18.

It is to be understood that the talus 31 may be bent or folded back on themselves to tightly hold the ridge 33 between the front panel member 12 and the mounting member 16, as herein illustrated, or in relatively loose relationship so as to provide a limited movement of the socket member 18 when in clamped position. When installed, the socket member 18 may be provided with limited lateral movement relative to the openings 14 and 29 for accommodating any tolerance build-up between the socket openings 19 and the tube clamped within the tube clamping means -13. Apertures 39 are preferably provided in the base 11 for mounting the base to a chassis (not shown).

Therefore, in accordance with this invention, the tube socket mounting means of this invention provides a new and improved construction of a tube socket mounting device whereby the opening 29 and the tabs 31 of the mounting member 16 are automatically aligned with the opening 14 and the apertures 27, respectively, of the front panel member 12 by the socket member 18 and the fact that the mounting member 16 is dimensioned to slidingly fit and be guided by the rearwardly extending flanges 23 of the panel member 12. The apertures 27 extend slightly into the side edges of the front panel '12 for clearance purposes so that the tabs 31 may easily be received therein after which the tabs 31 are bent reanwardly over the flanges 23 to clamp the ridge 33 of the tube socket member 18 between the front panel 12 and the mounting member 16 as previously described.

Therefore, in the event that one or both of said tabs 31 are broken off during the assembly of the mounting member 16 to the front panel 12, the mounting member may be replaced by another mounting member at a substantially small cost. If the tabs 31 were located on a more expensive part, such as the front panel 1-2 which involves a plurality of operations to manufacture, the cost of replacing the entire part, including the base 11 and heat dissipator 13, would be greatly increased and therefore prohibitive in mass production fabrication.

While there is herein shown and described what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of this invention, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of this invention which is not limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Mtters Patent is:

1. A tube socket mounting device comprising:

a relatively rigid mounting panel member having an opening extending substantially centrally therethrough and a pair of flanges extending rearwardly therefrom in substantially a right angle relationship thereto, said panel member having apertures on opposed sides of its central opening positioned at the intersection of said flanges and said panel;

a flat mounting member dimensioned to fit closely between said ilanges of said mounting panel and having an opening substantially equal to said opening of said panel member extending therethrough and a pair of bendable tab means forming an integral part of said mounting member on opposed sides thereof, said openings being aligned and said tab means being aligned with said apertures when said mounting member is juxtaposed to said mounting panel and between said flanges thereof; and

a cylindrical tube socket member receivable in said openings, said socket member having an annular ridge of a larger dimension than said openings and residing between said mounting panel member and said mounting member so as to be retained therebetween, said ta-b means extending along the inner walls of said flanges through said apertures and being folded back into engagement with the outer walls of said flanges for locking said mounting member to said panel for retaining said tube socket member therebetween.

2. A tube socket mounting device as defined in claim 1, including surface means on said socket member engageable with said tube socket mounting member so as to prevent rotation thereof.

3. A socket mounting device as defined in claim 2, wherein said rotation preventing means includes:

means defining an axial groove on the periphery of said tube socket member; and key means on said mounting member and extending radially inwardly into said opening thereof, said key means being receivable in said groove means of said socket member for keying said socket member in non-rotating relationship to said mounting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,465 Champion Dec. 22, 1925 2,087,784 Schmitt July 20, 1937 2,439,408 Mitchell Apr. 13, 1948 2,536,652 Metcalfe et al. Jan. 2, 1951 2,557,063 Adelt June 19, 1951 2,972,729 Rnehlemann Feb. 21, 1961 3,025,489 August Mar. 23, 1962 FOREiGN PATENTS 544,080 Great Britain Mar. 26, 1942 124,37l Sweden Mar. 22, 1949 

1. A TUBE SOCKET MOUNTING DEVICE COMPRISING: A RELATIVELY RIGID MOUNTING PANEL MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY THERETHROUGH AND A PAIR OF FLANGES EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREFROM IN SUBSTANTIALLY A RIGHT ANGLE RELATIONSHIP THERETO, SAID PANEL MEMBER HAVING APERTURES ON OPPOSED SIDES OF ITS CENTRAL OPENING POSITIONED AT THE INTERSECTION OF SAID FLANGES AND SAID PANEL; A FLAT MOUNTING MEMBER DIMENSIONED TO FIT CLOSELY BETWEEN SAID FLANGES OF SAID MOUNTING PANEL AND HAVING AN OPENING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO SAID OPENING OF SAID PANEL MEMBER EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND A PAIR OF BENDABLE TAB MEANS FORMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF SAID MOUNTING MEMBER ON OPPOSED SIDES THEREOF, SAID OPENINGS BEING ALIGNED AND SAID TAB MEANS BEING ALIGNED WITH SAID APERTURES WHEN SAID MOUNTING MEMBER IS JUXTAPOSED TO SAID MOUNTING PANEL AND BETWEEN SAID FLANGES THEREOF; AND A CYLINDRICAL TUBE SOCKET MEMBER RECEIVABLE IN SAID OPENINGS, SAID SOCKET MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR RIDGE OF A LARGER DIMENSION THAN SAID OPENINGS AND RESIDING BETWEEN SAID MOUNTING PANEL MEMBER AND SAID MOUNTING MEMBER SO AS TO BE RETAINED THEREBETWEEN, SAID TAB MEANS EXTENDING ALONG THE INNER WALLS OF SAID FLANGES THROUGH SAID APERTURES AND BEING FOLDED BACK INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER WALLS OF SAID FLANGES FOR LOCKING SAID MOUNTING MEMBER TO SAID PANEL FOR RETAINING SAID TUBE SOCKET MEMBER THEREBETWEEN. 